Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 11:47, 11 March 2008

MS Gabriella
Shipyard:	Brodogradiliste Split, Split, Croatia
Signal letters:	OJHP
IMO no:	8917601
Launched:	23 January, 1991
Delivered:	5 May, 1992
Route:	Helsinki — Mariehamn — Stockholm
General characteristics
Tonnage:	35,492 Gross Tonnes
Length:	171.5 m
Beam:	28.2 m
Draft:	6.26 m
Propulsion:	Fyra Pielstick 12 PC2 6V-400E diesels 23,780 kW
Speed:	21.5 knots
Passengers:	2,400
Passenger beds:	2,170
Car capacity:	480
Lanemeters:	970
Ice class:	1 A Super
Sister ships:	MS Isabella, MS Amorella, MS Crown of Scandinavia

MS Gabriella is a cruiseferry sailing on a route connecting Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden for Viking Line. She was built in 1992 in Brodogradiliste Split, Croatia as MS Frans Suell for service with Euroway. Between 1994 and 1997 she sailed as MS Silja Scandinavia for Silja Line.

History

MS Frans Suell was ordered as the first ship of the new Euroway company in 1991. Her design was essentially the same as that of MS Amorella of Viking Line, built by the same shipyard, but with additional cabins and less public spaces. When the ship was being built, the shipyard Brodogradiliste Split in Split, Croatia was attacked due to the civil war in former Yugoslavia. The Frans Suell got damaged by gun shots (other sources say hand grenades), remnants of the damages are still visible if you know where to look. She was delivered to the passenger shipping company Euroway on May 5, 1992. Her initial itenary was Malmö—Travemünde, but from September 1992 onwards the route was extended from Travemünde to Lübeck. In 1993 Euroway formed a partnership with Silja Line, and the ship came to be marketed as Silja Line Euroway. For the 1993 summer season the call at Lübeck was dropped to allow a more intense schedule. For the 1993-1994 winter season the route was extended into Copenhagen—Malmö—Travemünde—Lübeck to attract more passengers, but this was in vain Euroway closed down on 12 March 1994.

After Euroway was closed down the Frans Suell was chartered to Silja Line and renamed to MS Silja Scandinavia, rebuilt with rear sponsons and placed on traffic on the route Stockholm—Mariehamn—Turku. Silja Line's main rivals Viking Line, who owned two of the ship's sisters, were also interested in chartering the ship but thought the price was too high. However, when the charter to Silja was drawing to a close in 1996 the Silja Scandinavia was sold to Viking Line, to be delivered in 1997. After a naming competition she was renamed MS Gabriella and started trafficking on the Helsinki—Stockholm route, occasionally filling in on the Turku—Mariehamn—Stockholm route. On 23 January 2004 she collided with the small ferry MS Ehrensvärd in the Helsinki harbour, resulting in minor damage to both ships.

Future

As a part of Viking Line's rebuilding programme, Gabriella's public spaces and cabins will be rebuilt within the next few years.

Decks

1. Engine room
2. C-class cabins
3. Cardeck
4. Cardeck (hydraulic platform that can be lowered to divide the car deck in two giving space for two layers of passenger cars)
5. A- and B-class cabins, boarding
6. Sauna, hot tubs, swimming pool, A- and B-class cabins
7. Sea Side Café & Internet, children's playroom, information desk, boarding, Tax-Free shop, Pearl Beauty Shop, B-class and luxury cabins, suites, crew accommodations
8. Viking Buffet, Captain's Corner Pub, Food Garden and Banquet restaurants, Fun Club, Casino
9. Disco, B-class and luxury cabins, suites, crew accommodations, sundeck
10. Conference rooms, disco, crew accommodations
11. Luxury cabins, conference rooms, crew accommodations
12. Bridge, sundeck

References

1. Template:Fi icon Viking Line press release: Viking Linella merkittävä laadunkehitysohjelma, retrieved 23. 10. 2007

External links

• Viking Line official website for MS Gabriella
• Template:Sv icon MS Gabriella at Fakta om Fartyg

v t e Viking Line ships
Current fleet	Viking Glory Viking Grace Viking XPRS Gabriella Viking Cinderella
Former ships	Rosella Amorella Mariella Isabella Ålandsfärjan Kalypso Athena Olympia Diana II Viking Sally Apollo III Turella Viking Saga Viking Song Viking 1 Aurella Viking 5 Marella Viking 4 Viking 6 Diana Kapella Viking 2 Viking 3 Apollo Ålandsfärjan Viking Visby Apollo Drotten Slite Panny Boge
Ordered, never delivered	Viking ADCC Europa Hansa Express
Related articles	Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen Rederi AB Slite SF Line Rederi Ab Sally

• Ferries of Finland
• Cruiseferries
• Ships in Ice Class 1A Super